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V-neck aran sweater

Submitted by daveballarat on Sat, 2009-04-04 07:30

I started this last week. Ricke took me to the Eminunu Wool Market where I found this lovely yarn. I like the colour but I suppose it really isn't a Spring colour, more of an Autumn green but anyway, it's for my spring sweater. I am really pleased that it is knitting up well... that I have not mucked up the pattern yet ... still there is plenty of time for that :) and ... well... if the gauge was wrong ... which is a possibility cos I had a little trouble with it initially ... will see, not sure if it will fit right. Will wait and see.
In the background is my trusty toolbox. That's where I store all my stuff for my current project. I have a really big toolbox for my needles, books etc. as well.
At a rate of 1 row of pattern, and 1 row of k p ... on the back... then ...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ... sleep time ... this sweater will take me a few months. As long as it is finished before Summer cos it really gets too hot here for knitting then.

The pattern is from an Australian knitting book, produced by Patons. The green is almost like an 'army green' colour. The pattern suggests 20st and 28 rows to 10cm over stocking st, using 4mm needles... but the swatch was too long by a cm or two. So i went down to 3mm needles... then I eventually went back to 4mm needles but reduced the size. I should be a medium but I am knitting to a small. Actually my chest isn't really that big so... I think it might be ok. In the middle of sorting out the gauge my 4mm circular needles broke and I kept gluing them together but they kept on breaking. A bit of a mess... but I think it is sorted. Will see in the end.
Will see how it goes... time will tell.

Here's the extract... hopefully you can understand it and then explain it to me 'cos it is all too new to me...

Tension
20 sts and 28 rows to 10 cm over stocking st, using 4.00 mm Needles.
To work as 15cm x 15 cm tension square using 4.00mm Needles, cast on 30sts.
Work 42 rows stocking st. Cast off loosely.

* I just did the 20st one rather than 15 x 15

Mind you, when I took my knitting to RickeScott to get his help, I left one of my swatches at home and couldn't remember which swatch was which anyway... both were too big. He just suggested I knit a smaller size. Which I have done.

Well talking of RickeScott... I'd better walk my dog and get my butt on the bus... so I can meet up with him. It is my weekly habit of dropping in on him and his partner ... they are my sanity in this city. I don't know how I would have coped in the very str8 environment that I work in and ... they help me with cultural adjustments and we discuss some interesting cases of my work as I have a few screwed up kids who I work with.

Anyway, time to pack the knitting and exercise my smelly mut... no water here today... so he will go smelly one more night.

Cheers Albert, I give you a lot of respect cos I am following your comments very closely and you for one are very encouraging to everyone.
Dave
Istanbul, Turkey

I don't see why the gauge wouldn't be on stockingnet stitich, that is the normal way, and it's by far the most useful guide.
The cables of course will affect the size, but that isn't the issue, which is one of correct sizing. As one does more and more knitting you get to know how the knitted fabric feels and seldom need to actually knot a full gauge square, notmally after a few rows I can tell if something is amiss

I've been knitting for years and some of my earliest pieces were aran, I'm not trying to say that tension squares aren't important, but it's just with experience you get to know what a good relationhip with yarn and needles is. Almost always Aran is knitted without any cross over work on the purl side, and this really does help to maintain some semblance of size. traditionally the sides of the panels had rice stitch/similar which helps to give a firmness as well.
I suppose I'd add a few stitches to the pattern, but that is about all.Aran work was never designed as a perfect "fitted" garment, so I wouldn't agonise too much, if the stockinet stitch square is more or less ok or erring on the large side, I'd just carry on....
http://www.paulhenrydesign.com

The aran that I'm currently working on had specified gauge swatches in stocking st and in cable pattern. I chose to do the stocking st. The main reason being, as previously mentioned, you tend to want to wear arans a little roomier than other sweaters do to the fabric "stiffness" of the drape from all of the cabling. Likewise, all of that cabling can tend to alter your tension and cinch in the width so I usually err on the side of more positive ease. If I get a pretty good gauge match in my stocking swatch then forging ahead with the project usually leaves me successful results. Hope that helps. I like your pattern and the color of yarn. My aran is going just as slowly--the nature of the beast--so I can empathize!

“Now, let us all take a deep breath and
forge on into the future;
knitting at the ready.” -- E. Zimmerman

I always remember what my first "sweater mentor" told me, that if it's a bit big you can still wear it, but if it's too small you'll always hate it. I always try and err of the side of being just a bit big. Luckily the last one I did hit just about right (there's a first time for everything, I'm told). The green color is really nice. Hope the gauge works out for you. I know what a panic that can be!